Our Staff

Welcome to our school staff page! Here, you'll find a dedicated team of educators and support staff who are committed to fostering a positive and enriching learning environment for our students. Thank you for visiting, and we look forward to working together to support our students' success!

Introducing our Achievement Leaders

The role of an Achievement Leader / Head of Year is to provide first wave support and intervention for the students within the year group. Working under the leadership of the KS3 and KS4 Assistant Principals, leaders promote the school’s vision, ethos and values embedding the schools core values. Leaders create a positive culture, setting high standards for students and Achievement Mentors.

The role of an Achievement Leader / Head of Year includes:

Supporting and managing Achievement Mentors to deliver activities linked to Personal Development, assemblies and revision strategies to break down student barriers to learning.
Work closely and collaboratively with the Student Support Officer, as well as Curriculum Area Leaders to ensure all students receive high quality teaching, care, guidance and support.
Review Assessment Review Point data to identify student intervention requirements, working with Curriculum Area Leaders to assess the progress and intervention needs of the year group, agreeing actions and responsibilities after each data input, developing individual action plans for key students when necessary
Liaise with other staff, including SENDCO, Pupil Premium team, subject and learning support staff, regarding the progress of individual students and groups
Monitor the academic and social development of the students in the year group of responsibility, developing students’ resilience to support the demands of school but wider society.
Plan and deliver engaging and appropriate assemblies linked to current school and worldwide issues.
Leading on the schools VDE system, analysing student data to identify student areas of support, linked to Home Learning, Behaviour in learning and effort.

If you require support in any of the above information please do email us at enquires@penistone-gs.uk

Meet The Team

Mr B Schofield

Year Group

Year 7

Student Support Officer

Miss G Wilson

How long have you worked at PGS?

I have worked at PGS for 18 years.

How long have you worked in this role?

I have worked in this role for a total 14 years.

What do you enjoy about working at PGS? What does a standard day look like for an Achievement Leader?

I have always enjoyed working across all key stages with our amazing students. I also enjoy working closely with the excellent staff we have across all curriculum areas. In the role of an Achievement Leader there are no two days that are ever quite the same. The role is dynamic, working closely with the SSO, inclusion team, curriculum areas and external agencies to best support our students in developing and making progress, both personally and academically so that they ultimately leave PGS with the very best life chances.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself...

I am fast approaching two decades at PGS.

Which of the PGS core values do you encourage students to follow the most and why?

Be Kind - a simple act of kindness can make someone's day.

Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

I hope that I am still making a significant contribution to the lives of PGS students.

Mr H Kinnear

Year Group

Year 8

Student Support Officer

Mrs E Donoghue

How long have you worked at PGS?

3 years

How long have you worked in this role?

2 years.

What do you enjoy about working at PGS? What does a standard day look like for an Achievement Leader?

I enjoy how hard working and supportive our students are, it is a pleasure to see young people thriving in a positive learning environment. I also enjoy the vast extra-curricular opportunities I see our students involved in. A standard day would be arriving to school and checking the weekly progress of our year group then meeting with Mrs Donoghue about our students before visiting Year 8 mentor time. As Head of Year I spend the majority of my day teaching Drama and fulfilling my teaching commitments such as marking Key Stage 4 and 5 work and creating schemes of learning for Key Stage 3. I also plan reward opportunities for our year group and organise meetings to support and celebrate the progress of our Year 8 students.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself...

I am the fifth child of seven siblings, Christmas is very expensive!

Which of the PGS core values do you encourage students to follow the most and why?

I encourage our students to always 'Be Kind' as this is the centre of our values and reminds students that something as simple as kindness can have great impact. Being kind is what drives our students to 'Never Stop Flying', to be the best version of themselves everyday.

Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

In 10 Years I would still like to be a leader at Penistone Grammar School hearing about all the brilliant achievements our current year group have moved onto. I would also like to continue to champion Drama in secondary education and proceed with opportunities to advocate nationally for Drama education.

Mr B Dowle

Year Group

Year 9

Student Support Officer

Mr M Sharman

How long have you worked at PGS?

16 Years

How long have you worked in this role?

7 years.

What do you enjoy about working at PGS? What does a standard day look like for an Achievement Leader?

I really enjoy working with some fantastic staff, many of whom I'd call my friends not just colleagues. I also enjoy working as an Achievement Leader and interacting with students, many of which are receptive and try to develop themselves through our interactions and support. A standard day usually starts with students coming into our office seeking support for various concerns, either delivering assemblies or visiting mentor times to support students and mentors through the various mentor time activities and personal development curriculum. After mentor time and between teaching, sometimes 5 periods within the day, I have numerous conversation/interactions via phone or email with parents, conversations (both positive and negative) with students mainly regarding their effort, progress and behaviour in learning. Liaising with a range of staff including the SEN team, the attendance team, teachers and CALs to devise plans and actions for getting our students the best outcome to give them the best life chances and develop them as well rounded individuals. In addition to all these aspects I conduct lots of analysis on progress, behaviour and home learning data, again, all with a view to leading staff and students to improve and drive standards and ethos of the year group.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself...

I'm proud father of two boys aged 2 and 5. I once played against Wayne Rooney. Before becoming a teacher I trained to be a tiler.

Which of the PGS core values do you encourage students to follow the most and why?

Aim high - I believe this core value can be linked in all aspects of life, and ultimately if you aim in everything you do, you will show the best version of yourself that's all I ask of my boys and that's what I ask of my students.

Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

Taking more leadership roles and opportunities and becoming an Assistant Principal.

Mr M Squires

Year Group

Year 10

Student Support Officer

Miss K Tebbutt

How long have you worked at PGS?

13 years

How long have you worked in this role?

6 years.

What do you enjoy about working at PGS? What does a standard day look like for an Achievement Leader?

I love the trust that leaders have in me and other colleagues. I love the facilities and the grounds of Penistone Grammar School; the ethos and culture we have here. The vast majority of our students are lovely young people who are kind and polite. A typical day can be teaching five lessons back to back, delivering an assembly, emailing/phoning parents, liaising with other colleagues, visiting lessons, praising students, addressing students for not meeting expectations and I also have clubs after school some days within my role as PE teacher.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself...

I attended PGS and was taught by Mr Crook and Mr Green.

Which of the PGS core values do you encourage students to follow the most and why?

It used to be 'Be Brave' since that has now changed it would have to be 'Be supportive' and 'Be kind'. I think these are two incredibly important values to have as a person to enrich the lives of others around you and improve your own purpose in life and well-being.

Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

I honestly have no idea. Hopefully on a yacht in the Mediterranean.

Mrs K Booker

Year Group

Year 11

Student Support Officer

Mrs R Putsoane

How long have you worked at PGS?

11 Years

How long have you worked in this role?

5 years.

What do you enjoy about working at PGS? What does a standard day look like for an Achievement Leader?

My favourite part of working at PGS is the culture. Staff and student relationships are strong and it's a pleasure to work with the fantastic colleagues and students day to day!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself...

I have two children myself so I have a good understanding of the roller coaster called parenting! In my spare time my favourite thing to do is go for a round of golf with my husband and son.

Which of the PGS core values do you encourage students to follow the most and why?

All of the core values are really important for students personal development so this is a difficult choice! The one which I have spoken about the most with my year group has to be Be Supportive. I believe this Core Value is special and have always discussed as a year group we are a family and when we support each other allowing us to develop and achieve together.

Where do you see yourself in ten years time?

In education teaching still, and I love the Achievement Leader role I currently work in so I would like to stay in a pastoral leadership role supporting students with navigating school life alongside development both personally and academically.